Flour sifter with reciprocating agitator



y 6, 1950 F. R. CHESTER 2,507,500

FLOUR SIFTER WITH RECIPROCATING AGITATOR Filed May 23, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 1 A INVENTOR. 1 HE'A/VK/Q afissrfe Abram/5r May 16, 1950 F.R. CHESTER 2,507,500

FLOUR SIFTER WITH RECIPROCATING AGITATOR Filed May 23, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I) I IN V EN TOR. lg. 6: FRANK ficmfarfe Patented May 16,1950 FLOUR SIFTER'WITH-RECIPROCATING AGITATOR Frank R; Chester, Santa;Monica; Calif.-

Application May 23, 1945, Serial No; 595,400

My present invention relates; to a sifter particularly adapted forsifting flour for domestic purposes.- H

One of the principal objects of this'invention is -to provide a sifterof this class Which may. bi easily gripped with one hand and which maybe easily'manipulated for sifting flour, and particularly one which maybe mechanically operated by the same hand gripping the sifter.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a sifter ofthis class in which the perforations in the sifting receptacle areadapted normally to be closed or covered when the sifter is notin use,as when it is placed on a table, thereby preventing flour from fallingor passing through the perforations when not desired.

An important object also of this invention is to provide simple means inconnection with the sifterfor supporting it in an upright position onatable when the sifter is not being used.

.A-further important object of this invention is to provide novel andsimple means inconnection with the sifter manipulating handle formechanically and easily operating the agitating means thereof.

Still another important object of this inventionis to provide a sifterof this class which may be principally formed of sheet metal stampingsand formed wire parts.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide asifter of this class in which is provided a baflie or retarding elementfor positively preventing the hour, or other material to be sifted, frombeing carried continuously undisturbed by the agitator or other movingelement.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description and thedrawings, which are intended for the purpose of illustration, and inwhich:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of my sifter in one form,showing the same resting upon a fiat surface, the section being takenthrough 7 Fig.- 2 is a top view thereof, taken at 2- 2 of Fig. 1,showing portions broken away to facilitate the illustration;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view thereof, taken through3-3 of Fig. 1;.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view thereof, taken through4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view thereof, taken through 5-5 of Fig.1;

Fig-6 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the handle and receptaclewith the agitator operating member in a slightly modified form ofconstruction; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, similar to the containerportion of Fig. 1, of a slightly modified construction of my sifter.

My sifter, as shown inthe-drawings, comprises- 7 Claims. (Cl. 209- 282)2ji essentially a receptacle or bowl I and a handle 2 extending from oneside bfthefdrmer. As shown, the upperportion of thereceptacle: is roundor cylindrical, and is provided with a hemispherical bottom l Thesecomprise th'e whole or onlycontaineror-bowl of my sitter. Within thehemispherical bottom -porti0n 0f the recepe tacle or bowl is anagitator3 which isalso .par-

tially spherically shaped, that is, it consists of 'a segment of asphere, and'is-positioned substan tial-ly. in engagement with the innersurface of the bottom. This agitator is pivotally mounted on an axiswhich passes through the spherical axis of the correspondingly shapedbottom of. the. receptacle. The pivotal mounting .consistsiofiarodl fromwhich the agitator depends and to which the upper portions thereof aresecured 'The rod 4 extends diametrically across the receptacle, throughthe outer portion and inwardly through the inner side of suchreceptacle, and "also through the hollow portion of the handle 2." Therearend of the rod extends through and is pivotally mounted in the rearend of the handle. 1

The bottom of the receptacle l is provided with perforations l which,inth'isinstan'ce, are'arranged in rows, the axis of the pivotingrod'serving as the center from which said rows emanate.

The agitator is slotted to'provide agitatingjelements 3 whichalso'emanate from the axis of the pivoting rod and, whenthe agitator isinnorm'al position, the elements 3 cover the rows 'ofperfor'ations; Theagitating elements 3 a're adapted to agitate and move'theflour' over theperforated bottom of the receptacle."

An agitator operating lever 5 of U-shaped cross-section is arranged atthe'underside 'of'the handle. The forward end of the handle is"pivotally mounted on" a, transverse axis near the forward end of thehandleZ, 'thelever 5being pivotally supported on a pin 6 which issupported at" its ends in the" opposite sidewalls 2 of the handle 2,\which is of inverted" U-shaped" crosssection. The rear endof the'lever5"ha'sj an'upwardly turned arm or web 5 through the'fupper end of whichextends the throw" element 4 of a crank portion 4* located near the rearend of the rod 4, as shown best in Figs; land 5; The upper endof the armor web t -has a short transverse slot 5 to permit lateral movementofthethrow element 4 of the crank portion. As the lever 5 is oscillated aboutits pivot, the free end thereof moves the crank portion and rocks therod about its axis.

Around the pivot pin Ii is a spring I which engages-both interiorportions of the handle Tand lever 5 so as normally to force the freeend'of'the lever 5 in extended position, substantially 'as showninFig. 1. Thisspringmay be arranged'to force the agitator to one extremeposition. The movement ofthe free end ofthe lever may be limited by thebottom portion 2 of the rear end of the handle 2.

When the handle 2 is gripped with one hand, the fingers of the same handmay draw the lever upwardly, into the hollow portion of the handle 2,between the side walls 2", against the action of the spring 1, therebycausing the agitator to move in a direction opposite to that caused bythe force of the sprirm I. 7

As shown in Fig. 1, the sifter, when not in use,

may be placed on a table or other surface. A. pair of projections 1 areprovided at the lower side of the spherically shaped bottom so-as stablyto support the sifter on such surface. When the receptacle of the sifteris so supported, the rear end of the handle 2 may provide the thirdpoint of support, as indicated by 2 The perforations l and the agitatingelements i are so arranged that when the sifter is not in use, thespring 1 forces the agitator 3 to such a position that the agitatingelements 3* thereof cover the perforations l so as to prevent the flouror other product from passing through the perforations. Such normal orperforation covering position is shown best in Figs. 2 and 3.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a slightly modified form for the mounting of thelever 5. In this instance, the forward end of the handle, designated H,is rigidly secured to the opposite side walls 2 of the handle 2, such asby rivets IE, or by welding. The intermediate portion of the lever H hasa flat cross-section H which permits ready distortion of such lever orarm and permits the rear end thereof to be readily oscillated forperiodically rocking the rod 4 through the crank portion 4 In thismanner, the aforementioned specific mounting of the lever 5 and thespring I may be eliminated.

' In the modified construction, shown in Fig. 7, I have provided abaffle or retarding element 2! which extends across the receptacle Isubstantially between the pivoted sides of the agitator 3, to disturbthe flour, or other product carried by themoving or oscillatingagitator, and thereby facilitate its passage through the perforations.

The bailie 2| is shown as semi-circularly shaped and is secured, as bywelding, to the wall of the receptacle I, the ends being preferablysecured to opposite sides of the pivotal axis of the agitator 3 or theaxis of the rod 4.

The bailie 2! may be employed when desiring closer spacing of theagitator elements 3 and the rows of perforations I.

r I wish it to be understood that I do not desire ,to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. A sifter comprising a substantially tubular body terminating at itslower extremity in a hemispherical bowl-like portion, a hollow handleopen on the lower surface thereof extending laterally from said body, arod journalled in said bowl-like portion and extending into said handleand also journalled in the outer extremity thereof, a crank portion onsaid rod adjacent the outer extremity thereof, a partially sphericalagitator complementary to the interior of said bowl-like portionandsecured to said rod for oscillation therewith, said agitator beingslotted to provide a plurality or spaced agitating surfaces, a portionof the surface of said bowl-like portion being provided with apluralityof spaced rows of perforations staggered with respect to theslots in said agitator whereby the agitating "surfaces-normallycover(ill said rows of perforations, a lever mounted at its forward endwithin said handle adjacent said bowl-like portion, said lever extendingbackwardly from its mounting and being operatively connected at the rearend thereof to said crank portion for oscillating said agitator when thelever is moved relative to said handle through the opening therein,whereby said agitating surfaces will alternately uncover and cover saidrows of perforations, and means for returning said agitator to normalposition.

2. A sifter comprising a substantially tubular body terminating at itslower extremity in a hemispherical bowl-dike portion, a hollow handleopen on the lower surface thereof extending laterally from said body, arod journalled in'said bowl-like portion and extending into said handleand also journalled in the outer extremity thereof, a crank portion onsaid rod adjacent the'outer extremity thereof, a partially sphericalagitator complementary to the interior of said bowl-like portion andsecured to said rod for oscillation therewith, said agitator beingslotted to provide a plurality of spaced agitating surfaces, a portionof the surface of saidbowl-like portion being provided with a pluralityof spaced rows of perforations staggered with respect to the slots insaid agitator whereby the agitating surfaces normally cover said rows ofperforations, a lever pivotally mounted at its forward end within saidhandle adjacent said bowl-like portion, said lever extending backwardlyfrom its pivotal mounting and being operatively connected at the rearend thereof to said crank portion for oscillating said agitator when thelever is moved relative to said handle through the opening therein,whereby said agitating surfaces will alternately uncover and cover saidrows of perforations, and spring means for returning said agitator tonormal position.

3. A sifter comprising a substantially tubular body terminating at itslower extremity in a hemispherical bowl-like portion, a hollow handleopen on the lower surface thereof extending laterally from said body, arod journalled in said bowl-like portion and extending into said handleand also journalled in the outer extremity thereof,- a crank portion onsaid rod adjacent the outer extremity thereof, a partially sphericalagitator complementary to the interior of said bowl-like portion andsecured to said rod for oscillation therewith, said agitator beingslotted to provide a plurality of spaced agitating surfaces, a portionof the surface of said bowllike portion being provided with a pluralityof spaced rows of perforations staggered withrespect to the slots insaid agitator whereby the agitating surfaces normally cover said rows ofperforations, a resilient lever rigidly secured at its forward endwithin said handle adjacent said bowl-like portion, said lever extendingbackwardly and being operatively connected at the rear end thereof tosaid crank portion for oscillating saidagitator when the extremity ofsaid lever is moved relative to said handle through the openingtherein,'whereby said agitating-surfaces will alternately uncover andcover said rows of perforations, theresiliency of said lever servingto"return'said agitator to normal position. A. A sifter as defined in claim2 provided with a pair of projections on the bowl-like portion and aprojection on the outer extremity of the handle disposed insubstantially the same plane as said first-mentioned projections wherebythesifter may be supportedin upright position upon-Ha n -substantiallyflat surface.

5. A sifter as defined in claim 3 provided with a pair of projections onthe bowl-like portion and a projection on the outer extremity of thehandle disposed in substantially the same plane as said first mentionedprojections whereby the sifter may be supported in upright position upona substantially flat surface.

6. A sifter comprising a body terminating at its lower extremity in abowl-like portion provided with a plurality of apertures, a hollowhandle open on the lower surface thereof extendin laterally from saidbody, a rod journalled in said bowl-like portion and extending into saidhandle and also journalled in the outer extremity thereof, a crankportion on said rod adjacent the outer extremity thereof, an agitatorcomplementary to the interior of said bowl-like portion carried by saidrod for oscillation therewith, a lever mounted at its forward end withinsaid handle adjacent said bowl-like portion, said lever extendingbackwardly from its mounting and bein operatively connected at the rearend thereof to said crank portion for oscillating said agitator when thelever is moved relative to said handle through the opening thereof,means for returning said lever and agitator to normal position, and asupporting means for said sifter comprising spaced angularly relatedsurface engaging portions on said handle and bowl-like portion toprovide a three point support whereby 0 said sifter may be supported inupright position on a substantially fiat surface.

7. A sifter comprising a, body terminating at its lower extremity in abowl-like portion provided with a plurality of apertures, a hollowhandle open on the lower surface thereof extending laterally from saidbody, a rod journalled in said bowl-like portion and extending into said6 handle and also journalled in the outer extremity thereof, a crankportion on said rod adjacent the outer extremity thereof, an agitatorcomplementary to the interior of said bowl-like portion carried by saidrod for oscillation therewith, a resilient lever rigidly secured at itforward end within said handle adjacent said bowl-like portion, saidlever extending backwardly and being operatively connected at the rearend thereof to said crank portion for oscillating said agitator When theextremity of said lever is moved relative to said handle through theopening therein, the resiliency of said lever serving to return saidagitator to normal position, and a supporting means for said siftercomprising spaced angularly related surface engaging portions on saidhandle and bowl-like portion to provide a three point support wherebysaid sifter may be supported in upright position on a substantially flatsurface.

FRANK R. CHESTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 241,347 Frame May 10, 1881422,937 Harrison Mar. 11, 1890 444,351 Hammer Jan. 6, 1891 655,471Wieser Aug. 7, 1900 747,605 Hayden Dec. 22', 1903 1,214,720 Sobeck Feb.6, 1917 1,292,983 Abby Feb. 4, 1919 1,310,543 Racy July 22, 19191,471,361 Sarles Oct. 23, 1923 2,253,806 Perry Aug. 26, 1941

